Fabric napping apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1954 Fig.|

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FABRIC NAPPING APPARATUS Filed April 2, 1954 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR. WILFRED N. HADLEY ATTORNEYS United States Patent FABRIC NAPPIN G APPARATUS Wilfred N. Hadley, Springfield, Vt., assignor to Parks & Woolson Machine Co., Springfield, Vt., a corporation of Vermont Application April 2, 1954, Serial No. 420,575

7 Claims. (Cl. 26-29) This invention relates to novel apparatus for napping woven strip fabric to produce desired napping at one or both faces by lifting fibers to and outwardly of such faces, and the invention more particularly concerns a more eflicient napping operation including the reverse feeding of the fabric together with the napping of one or both faces during feeding in both directions.

Heretofore napping has been effected only upon feeding of the fabric in one direction. In accordance with my invention, the fabric is napped during feeding in one direction and at the end of the run the feeding direction is reversed and the napping continued during the reverse feeding of the fabric. Thus the napping operation can be continued until the desired nap has been produced. Furthermore, the napping is effected on the fabric in the direction of its feeding movement and such napping in opposite directions results in producing a fuller and superior nap. It will also be apparent that the invention provides for continuous high speed napping and eliminates the delays and numerous intermediate operations heretofore present when repeated napping is required. The production of a novel apparatus for performing these operations comprises the primary object of the invention.

The napping mechanism includes a plurality of pairs of parallel napping rolls disposed in lateral alignment to receive a fabric strip transversely across and in contact with the rolls, each comprising a forward napping roll and a rearward napping roll disposed in spaced relation. The fabric drives the forward rolls upon feeding movement in the forward direction and drives the rearward rolls upon feeding movement in the reversed direction. Further means, preferably including clutches, provides for driving from the fabric-driven roll and at a faster peripheral speed the other roll of each pair whereby to effect the napping operation. The production of novel mechanism of this nature and for the purpose described 1 comprises a further object of the invention.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view partially in section,

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 and showing the travel of the fabric through the machine,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of napping roll driving mechanism,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 4.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the napping mechanism includes two vertical banks A and B of parallel napping rolls. The rolls are arranged in pairs each comprising a forward roll 10 and a rearward roll 12. The rolls are covered with carding cloth embodying outwardly projecting needles 14 having hook-like free ends all pointing in the same circumferential direction on each roll. The needles on the rolls 10 are disposed in a direction opposing forward movement of the fabric and the needles on the rolls 12 are disposed in the opposite direction. The fabric 15 to be treated is conducted downwardly of the bank A and upwardly of the bank B and extends about power driven drums 16, 18 and 20. Idlers 22 support the fabric in contact with the drums 16 and and idlers 24 maintain the fabric in arcuate contact with the napping rolls.

The napping rolls, drums and idlers are rotatably supported at their ends in a front frame 26 and a like rear frame. The drums 16, 18 and 20 are driven from a reversible motor 28 through belts 30, 32 and 34. It willbe apparent that during its forward movement the fabric engages and drives the forward rolls 10 and during its reversed movement the fabric engages and drives the rearward rolls 12. The following described mechanism is provided for operatively connecting each pair of rolls whereby the driven roll drives the other roll and at a relatively higher peripheral speed.

The napping rolls 10 and 12 are mounted on shafts 36 and 38 in bank A and on shafts 36' and 38' in bank B. The shafts 36 and 38 are connected by two chains 40 and 42. The chain 40 extends over a sprocket 44 fixed to the shaft 38 and over a smaller sprocket 46 loose on the shaft 36. The chain 42 extends over a sprocket 48 fixed to the shaft 38 and over a relatively larger sprocket 50 loose on the shaft 36. Each smaller sprocket will ordinarily have one tooth less than its companion larger sprocket. For purposes of illustration this ratio is shown exaggerated in the drawing. A clutch element 52 is splined at 54 to each shaft 36 in the bank A between the sprockets 46 and 50 and is adapted to be shifted into driving engagement with either sprocket. The shafts 36' and 38' are connected in like manner and a like clutch element is splined to each shaft 38' in the bank B between the sprockets 48' and 44'. The sprocket 44' is larger than its companion sprocket on shaft 36' and the sprocket 48 is smaller than its companion sprocket on the shaft 36.

A yoke 54 pivoted at 55 engages each clutch element and the yokes in the banks A and B are mounted respectively on two vertical shafts 56. Arms 58 on the shafts are connected by rods 60 carrying the core 62 of two solenoids 64 and 66. Energizing of the solenoid 64 is adapted to engage the clutch elements 52 of bank A with the sprockets 50 and to engage the clutch elements 52 of bank B with the sprockets 48'. Energizing of the solenoid 66 is adapted to engage the clutch elements of bank A with the sprockets 46 and to engage the clutch elements of bank B with the sprockets 44. The arrangement in both banks A and B is such that the roll being driven by the fabric will drive its companion at a slightly higher peripheral speed. Two compression springs 68 on the rods 60 aid in cushioning the shifting shock and normally retains the clutch elements in neutral position.

The reversible motor 28 and the solenoids 64 and 66 are under the control of a main switch 70 and a reversing switch. The reversing switch includes two contact bars 72 in the motor reversing field circuit and two contacting bars 74 in the solenoid circuits. When the main switch 70 is closed and the reversing switch is in the position of Fig. 1 the clutch elements will be in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 and the motor will be operated in a direction to feed the fabric forwardly as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. When the main switch 70 is opened the motor will stop and the springs 68 will move and maintain the clutches in neutral position. When the main switch is closed and the reversing switch moved downwardly to its other position the clutches will be shifted to their other position and the motor and fabric will be driven in the reverse direction.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the forwardly moving fabric drives the forward napping rolls 10 which in turn drive the rearward rolls 12 at a slightly higher peripheral speed. Thus the needles on the rolls 12 travel ahead of the fabric and therefore penetrate the fabric to a degree corresponding to the penetration of the needles on the rolls 10 but in the opposite direction. As the needles of both rolls leave the fabric they draw the threads outwardly to produce the desired napping effect. The same napping steps are effected in the opposite direction when the feeding direction of the fabric is reversed.

It will now be apparent that I have produced a novel apparatus for continuously napping fabrics and in both directions from the two ends of the fabric strip. The invention makes possible the continuous and high speed napping of fabrics until the desired nap is produced, eliminates the delays and intermediate operations heretofore required and results in a fuller and superior product I napped in two directions from both ends of the strip. While I have herein illustrated and described the clutches as solenoid operated, it will be understood that other power means, such as mechanical or pneumatic means, can be employed.

Having thus disclosed my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Fabric napping mechanism comprising two spaced and parallel rolls, a plurality of napping needles disposed in spaced relation around and along the rolls and having hook-like free ends, said ends pointing circumferentially in one direction on one roll and in the other direction on the other roll, and means including a clutch for driving one roll at a relatively faster peripheral speed from t the other roll when the clutch is in one position and the other roll at a relatively faster peripheral speed from said one roll when the clutch is in another position.

2. Fabric napping mechanism comprising a plurality of pairs of parallel napping rolls disposed in lateral alignment to receive a fabric strip transversely across and in contact with the rolls, each pair comprising a forward napping roll and a rearward napping roll disposed in spaced relation, and means including clutches for driving the forward rolls at a relatively faster peripheral speed from the rearward rolls when the clutches are in one position and the rearward rolls at a relatively faster peripheral speed from the forward rolls when the clutches are in another position.

3. The mechanism defined in claim 2 plus unitary means for shifting the clutches simultaneously to and from said positions.

4. The mechanism defined in claim 2 plus reversible power means for feeding said fabric strip longitudinally in both directions, and means for shifting the clutches to said one position when the power means is disposed to feed the fabric in one direction and for shifting the clutches to said other positionwhen the power means is disposed to feed the fabric in the other direction.

5. The mechanism defined in claim 4 in which said power means includes a reversible electric motor and the clutch shifting means includes a solenoid.

6. Fabric napping mechanism comprising a plurality of pairs of parallel napping rolls disposed in lateral alignment to receive a fabric strip transversely across and in contact with the rolls, each pair comprising a forward napping roll and a rearward napping roll disposed in spaced relation, means for feeding the fabric strip in both directions and including means for fabric-driving the forward rolls upon movement of the fabric in one direction and for fabric-driving the rearward rolls upon movement of the fabric in the other direction, and means for driving the rearward rolls at a relatively faster peripheral speed from the forward rolls upon movement of the fabric in said one direction and the forward rolls at a relatively faster peripheral speed from the rearward rolls upon movement of the fabric in said other direction.

7. The mechanism defined in claim 6 plus means for reversing the direction of fabric feed and simultaneously therewith automatically connecting the napping rolls to drive the other rolls from the fabric driven rolls at said relatively faster peripheral speed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

